Centrifugal compressor rotor vibration damper



W. L. GORTON vCENTRIFUGI.. COMPRESSOR ROTOR VIBRATION DAMPER Filed March 13, 1951 Img/ y Dec'. 29, 1953 vanes and the inducer vanes results.

Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR ROTOR VIBRATION DAMPER Application March 13, 1951, Serial No. 215,211

2 Claims. (Cl. 230-134) This invention relates to centrifugal compressors, more particularly to the construction of the compressor rotor.

Compressor rotors operating at high rotational speeds are subject to aerodynamic forces which cause vibration of the impeller vanes and, in cases where an inducer is used at the impeller inlet, vibration of the inducer vanes. If the inducer is mounted directly against the impeller, galling between the mating faces of the impeller Severe vibration can cause failure of the inducer or the impeller.

An object of this invention is to minimize vibration of the compressor rotor.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate galling between the mating faces of the compressor impeller and the compressor inducer.

Still another object is to dampen vibration in the compressor impeller and compressor inducer to prevent the possible destruction of either.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims, and from the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary axial section through a double-entry centrifugal compressor rotor constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on line 2-2 0f Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a, section along line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Fig. 1 shows a double-entry centrifugal impeller I6 comprising a hub l2 with vanes Hl and I6 thereon. Inducer I8 is mounted adjacent to the right inlet of the impeller, inducer vanes 20 aligning with impeller vanes I6. Inducer 22 is mounted adjacent to the left inlet of the impeller, inducer vanes 24 aligning with impeller vanes I4. Each inducer is attached to the impeller` by a circle of bolts 26, only one bolt in each circle being shown.

A substantially cylindrical chamber 28 is provided n the mating faces of the impeller and inducer vanes, the transverse axis of each chamber extending in a radial direction as shown in Fig. 2. Grooves 30 in the impeller vanes and grooves 32 in the impeller vane mating faces of the inducer vanes are complementary, being approximately semi-circu1a11 in section as shown in Fig. 3, and together form chamber 28.

A resilient, substantially round strip 34, rubber being one of the preferred materials, is lo- 2 cated in each chamber 28. The depth of the grooves in the impeller and inducer vanes is such with respect to the strips that the strips are loaded in compression When the compressor rotor is assembled. For example, when a round strip is used in a substantially circular chamber, the

depth of each complementary groove is slightly less than the radius of the strip so that after assembly the strips are compressed. The strips thus effectively serve to prevent the transfer vibrations between the impeller and the inducer as Well as to dampen vibrations in these parts.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other Ways without departure from its spirit as dened by the following claims. y

I claim:

1. A compressor rotor assembly comprising essentially a centrifugal impeller having vanes thereon, a vaned inducer attached to the impeller, complementary grooves in the mating faces of the impeller and inducer vanes, said grooves being spaced from the edges of the vane faces and dening a chamber when the impeller and inducer are assembled, substantially round resilient strips Within and substantially enclosed by each chamber, the depth of each groove being less than the radius of the strip so that the strips are loaded in compression after the rotor is assembled.

2. A compressor rotor comprising essentially a double-entry centrifugal impeller having vanes thereon, a vaned inducer mounted at each impeller inlet, complementary grooves in the mating faces of the impeller and inducer vanes forming a chamber, a resilient strip Within and Substantially enclosed by each chamber, the total depth of the complementary grooves forming each chamber being less than the thickness of the strip so that the strips are loaded in compression after the rotor is assembled.

WILLARD L. GORTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,310,412 Flanders Feb. 9, 1943 2,317,338 Rydmark Apr. 20, 1943 2,340,133 Martin Jan. 25, 1944 2,405,283 Birmann Aug. 6, 1946 2,412,615 Howard Dec. 17, 1946 

